Ohio to Consider National Health Care Nullification

Following the lead of Arizona, Florida, and Michigan, in recent weeks legislators from Louisiana and Georgia announced that they were planning on introducing resolutions for State Constitutional Amendments that would allow the people of those states to effectively opt-out of any future national health care plan.

And now, Ohio joins them.

According to our friends at OhioFreeState.com, Ohio State Senators Grendell and Jones have introduced Senate Joint Resolution & (SJR7).

The resolution proposes:

“to enact Section 43 of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to prohibit a law or rule from compelling a person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system.”

If passed by the Ohio legislature, the proposal will go directly to Ohio voters for their approval:

If adopted by a majority of the electors voting on this proposal at a special election held February 2, 2010, Section 43 of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio shall take effect immediately.

The resolution in Arizona (HCR2014) has already passed both the House and Senate, and in 2010, Arizona voters will be the final voice on their proposed Constitutional Amendment.

In Florida and Michigan, similar resolutions have been introduced, but have yet to have formal hearing or debates.

Legislators in GA and LA announced that they’ll be introducing similar resolutions in the 2010 legislative session. And sources close to the Tenth Amendment Center indicate that more than 15 states will do the same in 2010.

Forgive me, I just discovered this forum. Please contact me at FB and friend me if you are interested in dialogue on a States Rights based health initiative.

My blog (that no one has visited since created in early September until this week) is the present revision of a plan that I just devised in August. I have no political background or health industry connection, except friends that are physicians, and the treatment of my various ailments, that I regard as blessings. I have no agenda except that which you can read in black and white.

Please review this plan. It is in its infancy as a political effort. The staff at Shannon Jones’s office just received this and are looking at it this week. I have not heard their reaction, if any. I don’t know if It is feasible, overreaching, or ridiculous. I need objective knowledgeable feedback from citizens that are on my team first and foremost.

There is a plan that was passed with unanimity in “committee” in Virgina in 1999 (SB509). It was shelved by the State Insurance Commissioner for “further review”. I am sure that insurance companies have no interest in significant change to the status quo.

It was titled “Autonomous Care” and was developed by Dr. Robert Su, MD. I think he and I are in at least 90% agreement on policy aspects. I am in contact now with Dr. Su as of last week, and he has promised to give it serious thought.

Once again, there are aspects of the plan that are somewhat unusual to say the least, and these aspects may be too unusual. I need objective feedback based on realities beyond my experience as a professional engineer with MS and no health insurance. I am not thin-skinned, and am a quick study. I believe the timing is ripe for a new approach like that of SB509 in Virginia.

There is an internet component that is essential to the functioning of the plan. My contact in internet java-based software design, implementation, and management of interactive websites and strategies is “impressed”. That’s about it so far.

Brennan – if governing should be done by polling, we’d be in a really tough place in this country.

All this is, is a resolution to put something on the ballot for the Ohio voters. If the full Ohio legislature passes it, the voters will get a chance to make their voice heard.

If you feel that the poll in Cincinnati accurately reflects the opinions of the people of the entire state, you shouldn’t have to worry about this becoming law, because the people will soundly reject it.

But, if the people of Ohio vote to approve this state constitutional amendment, will you then have the principles to accept the choice of the people there, or are you simply interested in pushing your own agenda?

According to the latest poll from The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, 69% of Ohioans support a public health care option. If nearly one out of seven people want it, why are the politicians fighting it? The poll also showed that 65% of Ohioans say doctors should be paid more to prevent and manage chronic diseases than per procedure. The Health Foundation is a non-partisan group, and the Ohio Health Issues Poll is done by the University of Cincinnati.